run, run, redhead (jack frost's nipping at your nose)
by michellejjones
Summary: "Ye haven't aged, Jack." He broke into a thin grin as she turned to look at him. "In all fairness, neither have you." Merida sighed, "Aye. Immortality can do that to you." [in which a song sparks a memory and dancing ensues. Jarida. Oneshot.]


**Alright. It's that time of year again. Bear with me. I know it's super cheesy, but let's face it; Jack and Merida would totally rock out to Christmas songs. Oh, um, and yes, the title is based after both "Run, Run, Rudolph" and that other song that talks about Jack Frost.**

 **Disclaimer:** **I own nothing.**

 **title:** **run, run, redhead (jack frost's nipping at your nose).**

 **summary:** **"Ye haven't aged, Jack."** **He broke into a thin grin as she turned to look at him. "In all fairness, neither have you." Merida sighed,** **"Aye. Immortality can do that to you." [in which a song sparks a memory and dancing ensues. Jarida. Oneshot.]**

 **pairing:** **Jarida (JackxMerida) all the way, my friends.**

* * *

 **run, run, redhead (jack frost's nipping at your nose).**

 **by clarabella wandering.**

* * *

It had been a particularly boring afternoon until he'd spotted her. He had been perched on the roof of Jamie's house, the boy threatening to hit him in his face with a snowball if he didn't come down being Jack's only source of amusement.

Until.

At around 5:00 in the afternoon a car had rolled up, the ugliest shade of green Jack had ever seen, windows rolled down so he was able to hear the voice that accompanied the extremely loud radio. _Run, Run Rudolph_ could be heard, and the girl in the car sang along to it in impressive harmony.

It wasn't usual for Jack to be interested in mortal girls _like that,_ but he rarely heard songs that predated the 90s (of the 1900s, if you need that sort of clarification), and, upon looking at said girl more closely, he saw that she had the type of beauty that came with toughness; a sort of, _yes, I am adorable. Touch me, and I will break your finger._

He liked that.

And so, finally, after two hours of sitting on the roof, Jack slipped down-

-and was therefore met with an onslaught of snowballs from Jamie and his younger sister.

"I'm telling North." He grumbled, wiping off the white powder. Really, he was secretly proud that his proteges were growing up with a sense of humor. But. He wasn't going to show it.

Jamie pretended to ponder his words. "No, you won't." He finally said, breaking out into a grin.

Jack's resolve broke, and he ruffled the boy's hair. "Nah, I won't." Aiming to casually slip in a question, he asked, "You know somebody just pulled into your driveway?"

Jamie looked at his younger sister, "It must be Merida. It's our parents' anniversary and they want to do stuff." He made a face as he said this, and Jack stifled a laugh.

"Well, if you don't like her I can scare her off." He was straining his head for another look. The car door slammed. She'd gotten out.

"No!" Both siblings said. Jamie elaborated, "We love Merida. She's lots of fun. She gives _you_ a run for your money."

Jack made a face, "Oh yeah? I'd make a bet I'm funner."

"That's not even a word."

"What's not a word?" The gate opened, and in entered Merida. She wore a green beanie, peaking out of a black hood, so all he could see was her red cheeks and bright blue eyes. Her clothes were simple, an almost-all-black ensemble except for the green beanie that peaked out. She walked around Jack to hug the kids, and gave them a toothy grin.

"Funner." Jamie supplied.

Merida smirked, her hands flying to her hips and landing there. "Of _course_ it's a word, ye rascal. How else am I supposed to say I'm funner than ye?"

Jamie gave Jack a pointed look as Merida ushered both children inside. Jack pointed up towards Jamie's room, waited for the boy's nod of acknowledgement, and then flew towards Jamie's bedroom window. He knew the window was unlocked, so he carefully opened it and slipped through.

She was obviously Scottish, judging from the rogue the accompanied her sentences. Her voice sounded familiar, as did her face, and Jack had heard that name before ( _Merida._ It rolled off his tongue in an intoxicating manner), but he knew he must be imagining things. He'd never met her before.

He heard Jamie's parents say their goodbyes and the door slam shut. Jamie's feet pounded up the stairs, and the door burst open. "Jack." He whispered. Jack floated down from the ceiling.

"Jamie." He mock whispered back, and Jamie grinned.

"We're having lasagna and Merida's mom's world famous triplet chocolate killer cake!" He gave Jack another grin, "Want me to bring some up for you?"

Jack nodded, "If you can manage it. And, don't you mean _triple_ chocolate?"

Jamie shook his head, "No. Merida's got three little brothers, around Sophie's age. Real pests. Her mom named her cake after them."

Jack jumped down from his perch on the bed, "So, Merida's pretty tough, huh?" This girl was starting to sound more familiar by the minute, but he didn't know _why-_

"JAMIE!" The Scottish rogue vibrated the house. "DINNER!"

In an equally loud voice, Jamie responded, "COMING!"

Jack leaned in and poked Jamie's nose. "What'd you say we have a little fun?"

He was rewarded with a grin.

* * *

As the trio ate dinner, Jack watched, with intense curiosity, the way Merida ate.

He didn't mean to be creepy, but she devoured everything in sight. It shouldn't have been elegant, but it was. Not her chewing or slurping, but the way she grabbed everything with precise decision. The way she managed to satisfy her hunger and take care of Sophie when she needed someone to wipe her mouth, or how her hand snapped out when Jamie almost spilled his drink, straightening it up a split second before things went wrong.

He would've been satisfied with looking at her that entire evening, if it hadn't been for two things.

Said things went like this: After dinner, Jamie politely waited until Merida was done texting his parents that things were going well, that they'd just finished, etc. "Merida?"

"How ye doin'?" Absentmindedly, she rubbed her arms, looking above Jack. "It's so _cold._ I'm not a big fan of the cold. Only two good things that come out of it if you ask me. Still keep your blankets under the coffee table?"

Jamie nodded. It was the perfect opportunity to grab Jack's plate of food.

"What'd ye need?" Merida asked as she waltzed out.

"Nothing, nevermind!" Jamie called, and grabbed a plate. He hastily poured some lasagna onto it, and Jack immediately perched himself on the counter as lookout.

"No!" Jamie whispered, and Jack turned to see him picking up cake from the floor. The winter spirit bent down to help him. Just as the last pieces had been thrown away, and they'd stood up to go find refuge in Jamie's room, they heard, with startling clarity, her voice.

"You said you were full."

She was staring at the plate in Jack's hand, and it occurred to Jack at the same time it occurred to Jamie that the poor girl was seeing a floating plate. Jamie took the food out of Jack's hand, and it was then that one out of two things occurred.

Merida's eyes snapped up to meet Jack's, stayed there for two seconds too long, and then she looked behind her to see the family dog running towards her. She toppled over, and the hoodie and beanie flew off, revealing curly hair the color of fire.

The guardian leaned back against the countertop, his mouth falling open as all the pieces fell into place. Scottish rogue, three brothers, a deep love for oldies, tough, almost as fun as him...

...and able to _see_ him.

As Jamie helped her up, Jack took her in. He noticed the way she looked anywhere but him, choosing to look to his right, to his left, at the ground or above him. When he knelt down, she looked up. When he jumped, she looked down.

Jack slowly leaned down to Jamie's ear, watching as Merida glanced at Sophie. He whispered something, and though Jamie gave him a strange look, he obeyed. "The-the plate of food," Jamie began, "it was... it was for Jack Frost."

Merida gave Jamie a strange look before slowly and hesitantly meeting Jack's gaze. "I know." She said. Jamie glanced between the two of them, uncomprehending. "I know it was."

"Dunbroch." He nodded to her.

She shut her eyes, and then opened them. Blue eyes connected with ones of similar color.

"Frost," she acknowledged.

"Wait." Jamie began, "You, you can _see-"_

"Off to bed, you two!" Merida immediately began to herd them upstairs. Jamie objected, and Sophie asked to be picked up, so Jack plucked her off the floor and flew her to her room, tucking her into bed.

"Your babysitter's right, Jamie. Bedtime." He flew Jamie up to his room as well, and Jamie groaned.

"Fine." He said. "But how do you two know each other?"

Jack heaved a sigh, running his hand through his hair. "She's an old friend."

"Do you mean, like, ex-girlfriend old friend, or, old friend old friend?"

Jack glared.

"Right. Don't ask." He rolled his eyes. "But, like, how can she _see_ you?"

The winter spirit ran a hand through his hair. "Jamie, have you ever actually seen Merida's family? In real life?"

Slowly, Jamie shook his head. "Is she a spirit?"

Jack glanced at the floor. "Something like that."

Satisfied, the boy collapsed onto his pillow. "Goodnight, Jack."

"Night, man." The door closed gently behind him, and Jack spared a glance downstairs. She sat by the fire, warming herself up. Her brave face wasn't up yet, but he knew it soon would be.

He hadn't seen Merida Dunbroch in thirty years, but somehow, he still knew her.

* * *

The radio played softly as he put a hand on her shoulder. She couldn't feel how cold he was, or how warm the fireplace was. He knew she sat by it to try and remedy her memories, but didn't mention it as she tensed below him.

"Ye haven't aged, Jack."

He broke into a thin grin as she turned to look at him. "In all fairness, Merida, neither have you."

"Aye." She agreed, "Immortality can do that to you."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Jack thinking over their entwined fates and Merida doing much the same. When he'd met her, fifty years ago, she had looked the same as she did now; mid-teens, bright eyes, red cheeks. She'd been able to see him then, too. When she'd told him her tale, she'd cried in his arms. Of how she was from Scotland -a princess, in fact- and _had_ three little brothers, a wonderful father, and a caring mother. She made a deal with a witch, turned her brothers and mother into bears. Managed to turn them back into humans. Years later, she had told Jack, that witch came back.

"She said that if I didn't give my inheritance over to her, she'd kill me." Merida had said, "We fought. I won." Her tears (they rarely every fell, and Jack hated to see them) stained Jack's hood. "But at a price. While she lay dying, she cast a curse on me. Ye see, Jack, she made it so that I could not leave Scotland until every last member of my immediate family was dead. And after that, I was to wander the earth, never aging, watching everyone wither away as I remained. I was only sixteen. Still am, really."

When she'd told him that, Jack had decided then and there that this was whom he loved, for all time. She had been so brave, so wonderfully heroic -still was- and Jack wanted to show her that. He vowed to.

And then.

She'd been ripped apart from him. She'd left him in the middle of the night, and he hadn't seen her again until today.

"Why'd you leave, Merida?" He broke the silence, listening to the radio play Christmas tunes. The snow fell outside, a little harder. Frost etched itself against the wall.

Her hand interrupted the flow of her hair, running through it before she spoke. "To protect ye." When she saw his confused look, she elaborated. "I got a message. Sandman came to me in a dream, telling me that he had been told someone was after me. They'd kill anyone in there way. I knew you'd get in there way, so I fled, Jack."

"Why didn't you come back?"

She grabbed his hand, squeezing it tight. "I wasn't brave enough."

He snickered, "Merida Dunbroch, not brave enough?"

"Aye." He saw her serious expression, the way her eyes filled with pain, and Jack Frost broke. His shoulders sagged and she carefully hugged him close to her, more timidly than she had ever done before. Merida was never gutless. She was always brave. That was simply _her._

"I wasn't brave enough," said she, "so I wandered again. Found this place a few years back. Made up a story, got a job at the mall and a job babysitting. It was the best I could do, run away. Pretend everything was okay."

"And now?" He whispered. The radio played a familiar song. They'd danced to it. A long time ago.

She stood when he did, staring at him with her blue orbs. They didn't match his, exactly. They were prettier. "If you'd have me, I'd like to stay."

He grabbed her roughly by the waist, pulling her in, and he broke into a mischievous smirk that she slowly mirrored. "I'll have you." He responded.

As the the radio began the first line of their song, he held her close. "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire," Merida murmured.

"Jack Frost nipping at your nose." He touched Merida's nose, and she laughed, a gentle sound.

The song continued.

They danced.

* * *

Later, much later, after Jamie's parents had come home and Merida had parked the car in front of an old cliff, they were listening to _Run Run Rudolph_ when Jack forced Merida to confront the obvious.

"You can't keep lying to them." He said. "You'll get caught."

Merida only nodded. "Where do I go?"

"North. He'll take you in. He took me in." Jack looks final about the whole thing, but Merida bites her lip.

"Will I see the kids again?"

He grins to himself, kissing Merida gently as the song reaches it's chorus. "Of course you will. They'd stop believing in me if you didn't. Just tell them the truth before you leave is all."

"Okay," she sighed, and hummed the song softly. "Do you remember that time you misheard _Rudolph_ for _redhead?"_

"Run, run, redhead." Jack recalled, "Yeah, I do." He pulled her against him tightly, nuzzling into her red curls. "But no running anymore, right?"

"No." Merida agreed, "Just Jack Frost nipping at my nose."

* * *

 **reviews appreciated.**


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